The Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD) avalanche team is back in Lowman as they prepare for another season and new challenges. Every winter the team monitors conditions to close roads when necessary for the safety of travelers and maintenance crews.
The four-person team has more than 70 years of combined experience. The team is stationed in Lowman, 20 miles from an avalanche-prone section of State Highway 21 that spans eleven miles from Grandjean to Banner Summit. The team also closely monitors U.S. Highway 12 near the Montana border.
According to avalanche team leader, Bill Nicholson, there are more avalanche paths now than when he started over a decade ago. A wildfire burn scar has changed the landscape.
“When I first got here there were 62 avalanche paths, but on one side of the canyon there was a forest fire. All the trees are now gone. There are not any anchors in there anymore. This area that was not even considered a problem has now become one of our biggest problems. We have around 70 avalanche paths now,” Nicholson said.
Another difference this winter brings is El Niño. The National Weather Service predicts a milder winter, but Nicholson says less snowpack can sometimes make it even more difficult. He says nothing is the same year to year, so they will use their experience and tools to examine the snowpack like they would any other year. The team relies on specialized weather reports from the National Weather Service, as well as mini weather stations that have been placed in risky areas.
There are only three highways in the United States that fall under the ‘High’ category in the Avalanche Hazard Index: SH-21 in Lowman, State Highway 210 in Utah, and U.S. Highway 550 in Colorado.
The Boise Hawks, along with the Idaho Transportation Department and Cumulus Radio, have announced the return of Baseball-o-ween at Memorial Stadium for Friday, October 27 – starting at 6 PM and ending with a fireworks show at 7:50 PM.
“We are very excited to partner with the Idaho Transportation Department and Cumulus Radio Group to bring back this awesome event to Memorial Stadium. After another record-breaking season at the Hawks, we think Baseball-o-ween is the perfect fun and safe event to cap off the 2023 season. We’ve picked the best two partners for this event, and cannot wait to invite everyone out.”– Mike Van Hise, Boise Hawks Vice President
“We are excited for a night of fun and fireworks at Hawks Stadium, and for the opportunity to engage with families and the community about safe driving and keeping trick-or-treaters safe ahead of Halloween.”–Josephine Middleton, Highway Safety Manager with ITD
“We greatly appreciate our promotional partnership with the Boise Hawks and we are excited to partner with the Idaho Transportation Department to present a great safe community event like Baseball-o-ween”– Don Morin, Market Manager for Cumulus Radio, LLC
This free, open-to-the-public, event will begin at 6:00 PM with a “Trunk or Treat” in the Memorial Stadium parking lot, featuring multiple community partners. Fans can then enter Memorial Stadium for a limited concession menu before the fireworks show begins at 7:50 PM. All are encouraged to come dressed in their best costumes as Hawks staff will be on site handing out prizes.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) has started the process of reevaluating an environmental assessment of State Highway 16 (SH-16) first completed in 2005. While holding to an approved highway alignment from the 2005 study, other features such as roadway connections and highway capacity will be reevaluated to address the needs of growth through the year 2050.
An increase in population, development and number of crashes in the area, along with other SH-16 highway improvements currently under construction has made updating the environmental assessment necessary for the design and potential construction of improvements. Between 2017 and 2021, 263 total crashes occurred in the corridor, eight of which included fatalities. Crashes went up by 89%, where traffic only increased by 27%.
The reevaluation will gather updated information about traffic volumes and impacts to environmental resources. In addition, ITD will develop a range of potential improvement plans as part of the reevaluation process.
“State Highway 16 is a key transportation corridor in the central Treasure Valley,” said ITD Project Manager Mark Wasdahl. “This environmental document is the next, important step toward addressing long-term safety and traffic capacity. We will be asking for the community’s feedback at several points in this process.”
The environmental reevaluation began in June 2023 and is expected to be complete in 2025. ITD is working with key stakeholders and numerous state and local agencies to gather ideas and input, identify issues and concerns and maintain interagency coordination throughout the process. ITD will also hold several public meetings for the community to learn about the project and provide feedback on potential improvement plans. The first public meeting for community members to provide input on the project is expected to occur in December 2023.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is busy preparing for the upcoming winter by converting their trucks back into snowplows.
In higher elevations snowplow conversions will be completed by the first week of November. In Boise the plows are typically ready to go by the end of November. The conversion process can take up to four hours per truck.
ITD’s trucks serve a purpose all year long. During the summer they are used as dump trucks, and during the winter they are plows. Once the fleet is completely changed over, there will be 86 snowplows working the roads throughout Southwest Idaho.
As ITD makes sure their trucks are in good working order for the onset of winter, ITD reminds all drivers to check their tires and have their vehicles serviced before weather conditions change.
The Idaho Transportation Department advises motorists to plan ahead for nighttime Interstate 84 closures starting this Sunday (Oct. 15) between the Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) interchanges. Crews are preparing the interstate for the next stage of construction at the future State Highway 16/I-84 interchange.
A full westbound closure and several nights of multiple lane closures on westbound I-84 will take place in the following weeks.
Oct. 15:
Westbound I-84 will be closed between Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) interchanges from 10 p.m. (Oct. 15) to 5 a.m. Monday (Oct. 16). Motorists will be detoured to Franklin Road. View the detour map.
Oct. 11-24:
Two of four lanes on westbound I-84 will close beginning Wednesday (Oct. 11) between the Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) interchanges. Work will occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night. The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph at night.
Eastbound I-84 closures will be scheduled later this month.
During the closures, crews will shift and re-stripe the I-84 travel lanes away from the center median. The shift will make room to build a center pier supporting the new I-84/SH-16 interchange. All work is weather dependent as striping can be less effective during cold nighttime temperatures. To request updates text HIGHWAY16 to 1-866-483-8422.
ITD wants to remind you to slow down, pay attention and drive engaged.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is asking drivers to plan ahead and expect slowdowns when traveling westbound on I-84 near the Simco Road Interchange as construction continues in the area.
Only one lane remains open for westbound travelers near the interchange as crews improve the westbound on- and off-ramps. This reduction in lanes will be in place until October 16.
Drivers on I-84 will be slowed to 65 mph, and traffic looking to cross the freeway via Simco Road will be detoured.
ITD is taking several steps to keep traffic flowing during the closure. Signs are up eight miles ahead of the work zone, and semitrucks will be directed to change lanes earlier. To encourage drivers to follow the posted speed limit, feedback signs are in place, and law enforcement will be conducting patrols in the area.
The department wants to remind drivers to have patience when traveling through the area, slow down, and obey all posted signs.
Construction on this project began in July to rebuild the bridge over I-84, which was built in 1959. Work is expected to be complete next summer.
Travelers are reminded to know before they go and check 511.idaho.gov for traffic impacts.
Tree removal efforts will resume Monday on State Highway 55 between Banks and Horseshoe Bend to make it safer for drivers and improve overall forest health. Travelers should plan for 30-minute delays as crews cut down dead and dying trees on the highway between mileposts 72 and 79.
Crews will be on site each weekday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the next several weeks. No work will take place on Fridays or weekends.
This phase of tree removal has been contracted with Falling Timber Enterprise, LLC. Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) workers will provide traffic control and clean up the trees.
“We hope to cut down up to 100 trees on SH-55 with this phase,” Operations Field Manager Eric Copeland said. “Impacts will be very similar to the work we completed in this same area in July.”
ITD anticipates preparing another contract in the future to thin trees in the Smiths Ferry area.
Travelers are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for any delays before leaving.
The westbound on- and off-ramps at the I-84 Simco Road Interchange (Exit 74) will close tomorrow morning as crews continue rebuilding the interchange.
The closure is expected to last more than one month, with drivers detoured to the nearest interchange to the west at Exit 71 to access the freeway. The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Exit 74 will remain open.
Construction began in July to rebuild the bridge over I-84, which was built in 1959. While being reconstructed in place, the bridge will have one lane open so that motorists can cross over the freeway. Work is expected to be complete next summer.
Travelers are reminded to know before they go and check 511.idaho.gov for traffic impacts.
Repaving has been rescheduled to start next week due to equipment availability. Drivers should pay attention to road signage or check 511 for exact timing of impacts.
This week maintenance workers with the Idaho Transportation Department will resurface part of I-84 between Eisenman Road (Exit 59A) and Blacks Creek Road (Exit 64).
Crews will repave the worst sections of the slow lane heading eastbound. Once repairs begin tomorrow near Eisenman Road, the eastbound on-ramp and one lane on I-84 will be closed. The ramp closure is expected to last one day, though work will continue on I-84 for up to three days. Workers will time repairs to avoid morning and evening commutes.
Westbound travelers will not be affected. Access to the Blacks Creek Rest Area will remain mostly open, save for a few hours tomorrow.
Travelers are reminded to know before they go and check 511.idaho.gov for traffic impacts.
Reconstruction work requiring the closure of the westbound I-84 off-ramp at Franklin Road (Exit 29) in Caldwell is finished, and the off-ramp is now open to traffic.
The Idaho Transportation Department thanks motorists for their patience during the closure that allowed the contractor to safely expedite reconstruction of the off-ramp over the past six weeks. The work contributes to ongoing improvements to U.S. Highway 20/26 between I-84 and Middleton Road.
The contractor completed the work requiring the closure yesterday afternoon. Workers may still be in the area periodically, so drivers are asked to be aware and engaged in the project area.
Motorists will see changing traffic patterns in the coming weeks on US-20/26 between I-84 and Middleton Road. Travel lanes will shift to the north as work is focused on the south side of the highway. Drivers should pay particular attention to the lane configuration between Aviation Way and Smeed Parkway by slowing down and following construction signs.
Diagram showing traffic shift
Reconstruction of US-20/26 between I-84 and Middleton Road is scheduled to be complete in 2024.
Another difference this winter brings is El Niño. The National Weather Service predicts a milder winter, but Nicholson says less snowpack can sometimes make it even more difficult. He says nothing is the same year to year, so they will use their experience and tools to examine the snowpack like they would any other year. The team relies on specialized weather reports from the National Weather Service, as well as mini weather stations that have been placed in risky areas.
